


L is for Lobster

by zebraljb



Series: The Alphabet Cycle [12]
Category: Boondock Saints RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-01
Updated: 2012-03-01
Packaged: 2017-10-31 22:59:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/349285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zebraljb/pseuds/zebraljb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sunburn leads to a proposal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	L is for Lobster

**Author's Note:**

> A series of shorts based on one-word prompts.

L IS FOR LOBSTER

 

It was their second day in paradise. Two weeks on a tiny island in the middle of nowhere, inhabited mostly by natives, with about a dozen or so artists who came to sketch the landscape. Norman could not think of a better place to be. He was in Eden, with his own personal serpent of evil, Sean, and they were there without email or cellphone service for two weeks.

He should have been ecstatic, and in a state of post-orgasmic bliss.

Instead, he was on his stomach on the sofa in the tiny living are of their bungalow, completely naked, trying not to move. He was also trying not to breathe, because that hurt, but it was inevitable.

“You okay?” Sean called from the kitchen.

“No, asshole,” Norman muttered into the sofa. “M’hanging in there!” He yelled louder, then winced. “Oh, fuck,” he moaned into the sofa. “Just spear me now and put me on someone’s fucking dinner plate.”

“It’s all done.” Sean padded back into the room on bare feet, a pair of blue swim trunks hanging precariously from his slender hips. Norman licked his cracked lips, wishing he had the energy to worship the tanned body in front of him. 

Tanned. Fucker. “Whatever. Just let me fucking die.” Norman turned his head away from Sean, wincing at the movement.

“You’re such a baby.” Sean got to his knees by the sofa.

“Just don’t touch me, okay?”

“If I’m gonna put this on your back, I sorta need to touch you, Normy,” Sean pointed out. He dipped his fingers into the bowl and slowly drew them over Norman’s back.

Norman hissed. “Fucking hell…”

“I never realized how pale your skin was,” Sean commented.

“You know, if you ever want sex from me again, you’d probably want to shut the fuck up,” Norman snapped, biting his bottom lip as Sean carefully painted his sunburned back with the baking soda paste. 

“I’m going to forgive you, because I know it’s the pain talking. You’re really not that angry at me.”

“Actually, Sean, I am just about that fucking angry.” Norman turned his head back around, ignoring the pain. “I asked you to waken me in a half-hour. By that time the sun was going to be overhead, and I didn’t want to lay in full sun like that.”

“I apologized,” Sean muttered.

“Your apology isn’t gonna soothe my fucking back, now, is it?” Norman knew he sounded like a pouting child, but the pain of his red back overpowered all rational thought. He knew he looked like a lobster, though he refused to check the mirror.

“There. Just lay for a while and let that soak in, and then I’ll help you wash it off in the shower.” Sean stood and picked up the bowl. “I am sorry, Norman. I got distracted.” He padded back out of the room.

“Fucking hell,” Norman moaned again, this time feeling more than the pain from his back. He knew Sean didn’t mean for him to get burned to a crisp, and it wasn’t Sean’s fault he had fallen asleep. But Sean seemed so easily distracted lately, and Norman wondered if something was wrong, if something was missing that he wasn’t aware of.

Norman lay obediently for almost twenty minutes, listening to Sean putter around the tiny bungalow. It consisted of a kitchenette, a living area, a bedroom and a bathroom, and had a hot tub out back. He had expected them to live in two weeks of amazing bliss, but instead he had ruined everything. “Sean?” He called, slowly getting up and making his way to the bathroom.

“Coming,” Sean said, and Norman saw him appear from the kitchen.

“Hey, Sean, I…”

“Just sit,” Sean said, pointing to the tub. Norman sighed and knelt in the tub, closing his eyes as Sean sprayed his back with cool water.

“Oh, that feels SO good.” Norman wiped at his face. “Thanks for taking care of me, Seanie.”

“Of course,” Sean said primly, almost coldly. Norman sighed. 

“Look, Sean…we need to talk.” Sean handed him a towel and he quickly dried off before knotting it around his waist. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have blamed you, it’s not your job to babysit me.”

“No big deal.”

“It IS.” Norman grabbed Sean’s hand. “I was being a total twat. Can you forgive me?”

“Of course, Norman.” Sean lightly touched Norman’s face, a more sincere smile in his eyes. “Be careful getting out.” He helped Norman step out of the tub.

“Listen, Sean, I’ve noticed something.” Norman bit at a fingernail. “You’ve seemed really…distant, lately, and I was wondering what was wrong.”

“Nothing. Nothing at all,” Sean said casually.

“You’re lying.” Norman frowned. “I know you, Sean, and you’ve never pulled away from me like this before. Is…is it something I did? Tell me, so I can find a way to make it right.”

Sean looked at him for a long moment, and Norman actually began to shake a bit. “Let’s get you dressed. You’re shivering.” Sean led the way out to the bedroom. Norman wanted to tell him that he was NOT shivering because he was cold, but thought it best to just keep quiet. 

“Thanks,” he murmured when Sean handed him a pair of pants. Norman smiled as he realized they were Sean’s, not his, but he put them on anyway.

“You haven’t done anything,” Sean said finally. “I’ve just been thinking about something. Have a seat.” Sean motioned to the bed.

Norman carefully sat. “Thinking about something?”

“About us.”

“Oh, fuck,” Norman whispered, but Sean didn’t hear him.

“We’ve been together for the better part of seven years,” Sean said, pacing by the bed. “And planning for this trip, and everything that we’re doing here, really made me stop and think about what I want.” Norman sat and stared, but Sean ignored him. “We’ve hit quite a few bumps in the road, with being apart for filming, you hooking up with Helena for a bit, having Mingus.” Norman refrained from saying that he had BEEN there for all of that, and could Sean please get to the point? “We survived it, though, and that really makes me think it’s worth it. That it’s what we deserve.”

“What is?” Norman was thoroughly confused.

Sean looked at him and blinked, as if he had forgotten Norman was even there. Sean smiled tenderly at Norman, reaching over to ruffle the shaggy hair. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” This was the oddest way to get dumped that Norman could have dreamt of. 

Sean went to his suitcase and unzipped an inner compartment. Norman stared at him, wondering if Sean had already packed for him as well, to get him moving as quickly as possible. Instead, Sean turned around with a small box in his hand, and Norman’s heart began to pound in his ears. “Our country wouldn’t recognize this yet,” Sean said slowly. “It’d actually be more of a symbol for what we already know is true, but I’d like to do it.” He met Norman’s gaze as he opened the box. “We’ve never talked about our opinions on commitment ceremonies, but…well…I’d love to do something, in front of everyone we love, showing how much I care about you.” The tears in Sean’s eyes matched the glistening diamond dust on the shining band. “I guess…I guess I’m asking you to marry me, Norman. Will you marry me?”

Norman’s heart stopped throbbing in his ears and moved up to choke his throat He reached out to take the box, his hands shaking so violently that he knocked it from Sean’s hand. They both bent to grab it, and cracked heads. “Ow.” Norman rubbed at his head as he winced at the pain in his back. “I’m sorry.” He picked up the box and stared at the ring. “You’re sure you want to marry me? I’m a basket case.”

“You’re MY basket case,” Sean said, touching his own forehead. “You’re mine.”

“Yes,” Norman whispered. “Oh, fuck, yes, I’ll marry you.”

Sean smiled and pounced on him, knocking him on his back. Norman shouted in pain, and Sean scrambled aside. “Oh, I’m sorry!”

“I don’t know if I can survive the engagement, not to mention the rest of my life with you,” Norman said, laughing in delight.

“I’ll take care of you,” Sean promised, and Norman forgot his sunburn as Sean kissed him.

END - L


End file.
